July 18: The performance of Abhimanyu Mithun was the lone bright spot in an otherwise ordinary day for India. The Karnataka speedster who ran in with purpose and hit the bat hard, looked a picture of promise. At a time when India’s fast bowling resources have come under the scanner, Mithun has a lot to offer.
“I thought Mithun bowled superbly for his first Test, It was great to see a really athletic young bowler. He certainly showed that he is capable of doing well at this level. He bowled at decent pace and good areas for most of the day and I was impressed,” said coach Gary Kirsten.
Mithun lacked support from the other end thanks to Ishant Sharma’s poor rhythm. Kirsten however was not ready to agree. “I think Ishant was a bit unlucky today. Three or four boundaries went to third-man of good deliveries. He bowled really well in the warm up game at Colombo.
“By his own admission, he could have avoided a few. He bowled well in the last spell and hopefully he will continue to build confidence as he goes along,” explained Kirsten.
Ishant played a pivotal role in the win over South Africa in the last Test India played. Not having played any international cricket has not helped his confidence and Kirsten asked for patience. “He has not had a game in the last three months. We need to be patient with guys who we know have the potential and talent to go forward. We must be careful not to judge him in one practice game and one day here,” explained Kirsten.
The injury to Zaheer Khan has hit the team hard but Mithun filled in well. Centurion Tharanga Paranavitana was all praise for the effort. “He bowled extremely well for a debutant and I am sure he will get better with experience.”
Kirsten also noted the absence of Zaheer showed. “He (Zaheer) plays a massive role in this team and it just shows what experience means in Test cricket. We need to find guys who are ready to step up. Mithun, who had a great first class season had been given an opportunity to prove what he is capable of. He has a long way to go but it was certainly a good start.”
India have tried out nearly 15 to 16 seamers in one-day cricket in the last two seasons and with the focus shifting to the World Cup, there will be a temptation to draft Mithun to overs-specific cricket. Recent history suggests how length bowlers have suffered due to over-exposure to shorter formats. It would not be a bad idea to preserve the youngster for the longer version. India are scheduled to play 10 more Test matches this season, Mithun will have a lot to offer here.
“I would like the bowlers to have as much game time as possible. Wherever they get an opportunity to play quality cricket they must play. As a coach I can only pass suggestions and decisions are made accordingly,” added Kirsten.